>>> Michael Smith <mjs at smithbowen.net> 10/24/2007 5:15 PM >>>
On Wed, 2007-10-24 at 16:20 -0400, Alex Hogan wrote:
> by the standards of what we view as leftist:
> committment to solidarity, equality, liberty,
> internationalism, rights of minorities etc.,
This raises (for me) an interesting question: what's Left about these "standards"? Aren't these things that any mere liberal would sign off on?
Which brings us to the question -- what constitutes a Left outlook, as distinct from mere liberalism? Or from a specifically Marxist outlook?
Here amongst the mighty scholars and penetrating intellects of lbo-talk, I'm hesitant to venture a definition. I'm a little more confident saying what it's *not*. Being a Leftie, or a fortiori a Marxist, is about something more, or at least other, than subscribing to a list of Enlightenment -isms and -ities.
... Isn't it? Help me out here.
^^^^^ CB:I'll start. Leftists and Marxists are for ending capitalism and imperialism and making socialism, world socialist revolution, ending class divided society. Leftists and Marxists are for world peace, nuclear disarmament, jobs or income for all, women's liberation, the workers of all nations and kinds uniting, and today we must add ..yikes...somehow a sustainable , environmentally friendly new technological regime. Marxism is liberalism sublated or preserved and overcome. Preserve the good stuff and overcome the bad stuff of liberalism. I demonstrated this roughly on a recent thread by taking andie's list of liberal fundamentals and adding jobs and income for all, but that was a very vulgar way to put it.
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